Emi Martinez gave Mikel Arteta a glowing review in an interview with the media this week, calling the head coach ‘incredible’.

Emi Martinez is getting a run in the Arsenal team under Mikel Arteta, following an injury to Bernd Leno. He’s actually taking his chance very well too, keeping three clean sheets in his last four and only conceding once in that period.

As a result, the goalkeeper is getting a lot more attention in the media. He spoke to Sky Sports this week, giving his thoughts on head coach Arteta, and it’s fair to say he’s enjoying the Spaniard’s tenure so far.

“We knew Mikel would be a good manager when he signed here, but we didn’t know he would be this good,” Martinez said.

“He is incredible. He knows how to deal with experienced players, with young players. He gives us a gameplan against anybody and gives us hope when we do the training sessions.

“He knows what position you have to be in, in every department, whether you are a goalkeeper, a striker or a left-winger. And then, when we go into the games, those scenarios we worked on in training actually happen, so we start believing in every word that he says.

“When he says something now, we are so willing to listen to him because we know he will take us to another level. That’s Arteta.”

Assuming everything Martinez says here is true, it’s certainly a positive sign for the club. The biggest concern about Arteta was that he wouldn’t command the respect and attention of the dressing room, given his inexperience as a head coach.

If he’s going to succeed at Arsenal, the players have to believe in him. Based on Martinez’s assessment, they do, which is going to make it so much easier for Arteta to implement his ideas.

After that, it’s just whether his gameplans are up to scratch. But with the backing of his players and the club, at least he’s getting a fighting chance.